Do the players need to be accountable? Yes. But this system is absolutely killing this team and this breakdown outlines how Berube is coaching them into last place.
Do the players need to be accountable? Yes. But this system is absolutely killing this team and this breakdown outlines how Berube is coaching them into last place.
28 comments
The latest Leaf Report podcast features Dom L as a guest and he also does a great job breaking down how much the system is failing a player like Matthews
If people don’t understand that Berube is a terrible coach who’s hurting this team already, they’re just being willfully ignorant
System wasn’t a problem when JT and Nylander we’re having career starts tho
This is a good video actually. The real question is, why did they hire Bérubé if he so obviously wasn’t a good fit for this particular team? Instead of making changes to fit the offensive style of play the Leafs have been known for forever, they hired a coach who relies (and always has relied) on an extremely simple offensive system.
It would be fine if they had the personnel to be a rock-steady defensive team but clearly, the Leafs are not built like that on the back-end. It just feels like this team needs to play a north-south game to get the most out of our top 2 lines. There seems to be a massive disconnect between team and management this year. I understand “playing the right way” but you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole. This is an offensive team, they need a coach who prioritizes a creative offensive system.
Sometimes leadership is standing up to the coach/manager and offering an alternative. Austin needs to work on his leadership.
I get why some (many) people are upset at the team and players, but I don’t understand how some of these same people are defending the coaching staff when the system is clearly broken too.
We constantly get crushed in possession and can’t get much going, it feels like the Randy Carlisle era all over again. The system clearly doesn’t fit the personnel on the team, and it doesn’t look like the coaching staff have any sort of answer.
It’s time to change the coach.
It worries me that leadership can’t see the obvious flaws in the systems with the current roster, and how it’s affected our skilled players. The change to the PP with switching Willy and Matthews was just totally unnecessary. I’ve been anti-Berube hockey for a while now, wasn’t even a big fan of it last year either; we were bailed out by reasonably strong D performances and great goaltending last year. 34 and 88 look depressed playing this style of game! I personally, would fire Berube and release them from this hell, or we’re ready gonna look back on this era as a total waste. There’s time to save it, plenty other stars in similar situations did, and won (Ovi for example).
This is incredibly insightful. It’s actually frustrating seeing and understanding the difference in systems which have contributed to the decline we are seeing.
I agree that part of it is whatever is ailing Matthews but it’s clear that the way Berube has them playing is affecting him too.
One thing I didn’t see him mention was that Berube has Matty being put in a much more defensive deployment. More time spent against top competition and more defensive zone starts than any other star player in the league not named Barkov. That’s a lethal combination to his production. You can’t fix his body with trades or coaching changes but you can fix the other things that are broken.
Anyone who knows anything about hockey knew the Leafs did not play good hockey last year. They spent most of the game defending, getting out chanced and won because of opportune scoring and league high goaltending.
Off course when you would point this out, the bozos who know nothing about hockey would simply point to the standings.
Well now we are seeing the actual results of this system when you aren’t riding a PDO bender all year and league high goaltending.
If we are not willing to embrace the tank this year, then we simply need to fire Berube ASAP.
Anything to shield Matthews from criticism
All of the “it couldn’t be worse” people from after the last playoff series are awfully quiet now
It’s the system. It has always been the system. You can’t force guys to play a style of play they’re not made for. Bérubé is a good coach, in the old NHL. The modern NHL is fast, physical and skilled. You need possession, you need to take risks and chances. Off the glass and out doesn’t work anymore, guys are too good. You can’t even dump the puck in half the time since guys have such good sticks they’ll pick it out of the air and transition to offense in the blink of an eye.
It’s 100% the system! There is no way Matthews just falls off a cliff like that. Berube is a horrible coach
You all know they played the same system last year and were first in the Atlantic right? Is the system perfect? No not really. Torontos biggest issue is carrying the puck in the zone. Period. They suck at it. Even their power play where they have an advantage they still have trouble gaining the zone. When players can’t gain the zone with possession they dump it. Most teams play a dump and chase style of hockey. Defenders can clog the blue line, hence why majority of teams dump the puck. Berube isn’t exactly killing it but the record to date is 100% due to the players. Even their power play coach while not great wasn’t the total blame. The players don’t move. Like at all. Sorry but I can guarantee that Savard didn’t tell them not to move. If they don’t move they’re too easy to defend. Period. Same with every power play on every team.
You’re never going to win a cup with this coaching style
Things are so bad though it isn’t just one thing. It’s the players, the system(coaching) and injuries. Sell at the deadline get back as many draft picks and prospects you can.
Not an expert in hockey system but apart from a few players change on the roster, what’s the difference this year from last year.
I’ve been saying since game 1, the leafs system does not value high end talent. Matthews is an amazing player, put him on a tsystem like the devils and he gets 60 every season. Sometimes, you need to adjust your system to fit the amazing talent you have, but Berube refuse
Great breakdown.
One thing I found really interesting last night was the re-appearance of Matthews and nylander swinging up high in the middle of the O-Zone to create some of these unique looks that the video highlights used to be a major strength of the team.
As a whole it felt like the team had a bit more freedom to go out and attack offensively instead of always deferring and taking the conservative and safe play. Whether that’s a change in system or the players just saying screw it and looking to create more is the question though.
If Berube’s system is the problem how come the leafs still did good last year? Just trying to learn more as a casual fan.
The problem with Keefe’s system is that it’s so predictable. Have 2 forwards attack the points to take away space from the high forwards and now you’re stuck with the puck up high. Throw it at the net and you’ll get outmuscled in a 2 on 3 low.
The system struggled against in division teams we saw often and long playoff series because it’s easy to defend if you don’t have a fast player like McDavid/Mackinnon/Kucherov as the two high players.
At least with Berube’s system it’s more chaotic and harder to defend, but gets beat easily by the leafs not finishing their checks or the other team having a good breakout.
I’m curious to see if we can go back to our October offensive system where we were 2nd in high danger shots while playing defence like we did in November. It feels like December showed we can’t do both, and Berube should be fired but hoping they can turn it around in Jan if he isn’t.
The only thing I push back on this is that the system worked last year. Yes we had Marner and he had a career year, but also so did Willy and Tavares had one of his best years as a Leaf. Defense was stronger and goaltending saved us a lot more, but our bottom 6 is better this year. The issue is our top 4 players have really struggled and our best player Matthews looks worse than last year
If the 5v5 offensive system is the problem, then why are we one of the highest scoring 5v5 teams in the league, despite a down year from our captain?
The Leaf problems are mostly power play (last in the league), defensive lapses, and early season goaltending.
11 minute reddit comment no thanks
I watched it and it only reinforces the view that the coaches are not the problem
Marner left. Matthews had gotten used to him.
Matthews is clearly not at his peak / 100%. He is not shooting like he used to, everyone can see it.
He is not even trying the shots in obvious places: something is bothering him so much that he starts to pass. And if he starts to pass, he is doomed.
The PP formations had nothing wrong with them: those formations work just fine, or even produce the best PP’s in the league, IF the players are good PP players, and if you have good one-time-shooters
Last season the PP was #9 in PP%. With the same coaches.
Marner was a huge part of that PP, constantly having the puck & taking wristers. And they had the 5F-PP quite often: Reilly being there in stead of Marner really takes it down, because everyone knows he is not shooting, and he is not a playmaker/dangler of the level of Makar/Hutson to make up for it.
Nylander is not a one-time-shooter, and neither is Matthews. Both are catch-and-release-shooters, using a wrister.
Knies is not a PP specialist. Tavares used to be one of the best PP net front presences in the league, but he’s older now, AND top PP’s usually have at least 3 “great” PP players/specialists
They need a better shooter on the blueline, and that would cost money. They’ve paid too much to 2 guys.
Heres the problem and i dont need to watch the video to point this out (not trying to be a dick, its just always been the same thing)
If the leafs would just legitimately try for a full 60 minutes none of this would matter, whether theyre playing berube, keefe or babcock hockey thats all theyve ever needed to do. The last 10 minutes when theyre losing leafs are a real problem, thats a team that wins meaningful hockey games. But because they refuse to do that we had to bring in a coach to hopefully get them to do that and instead of fun sheldon keefe hockey this is what they get.
Scotty bowman couldnt coach this team to success because they arent willing to work for it, you know maybe if they just bought in and really fucking dig the system will work better but your captain calls the team passengers and nylander gets 11.25 to take nights off like kawhi leonard. Matthews, marner and nylander are great points wise but have 0 character, nobodies following those guys. Especially now that matthews seems human.
Losing is a blessing at this point, these guys arent the ones to do it.
Brilliant video. This should be pinned including Dom L.’s article.